I am horrified by The abuse of women in Afganistan. This needs to be addressed and laws passed to protect them and to punish the abusers. I can't believe the bully men of that country feel they are entitled to abuse and kill another human being without punishment. Our soldiers should give those abusing men a taste of their own medicine.

I feel that our soldiers should be doing nothing of the sort. When you fight fire with fire you only get burned. If I were to see the picture of a tortured man, whose pain had been inflicted by American soldiers my trust would be greatly reduced. I am horrified as well. I agree that it needs to be addressed, but I feel that the international community should persuade the Afghan governemnt to enforce new laws.

what the hell is she pressing?!?!

yes, isn't democracy great? while american economy is booming over the wars, we have managed to kill over one and a half million iraqis, displaced a 2 million into the desert and created a fail state. I wonder if the Iraqis now would rather have Saddam than this glorious democracy and freedom Bush has given them (without a choice, no less). As for the Taliban in Afghanistan. They seem to be like the comeback kid, and we are letting it happen. The one group we should have gone all out for we did not. We deprived the Afghanis of a means of survival, and tell them and the world, that their lives are better. Religion has become a curse for the world and the most religious are bent on imposing their will and belief on the fallen and desperate people they have struck down by those who preach God's mercy and compassion, but show none. If anyone is a curse to be feared they are those that advocate war against helpless men, women and children and hide their true objectives mouthing false platitudes. They are the real terrorists and should not be allowed to continue without being exposed by all who truly love their fellow men and women.

it is important to state the obvious. women's rights are in jeopardy, especially when speaking of those outside of many us countries. however, this is not new. if one is to really become aware of the issues at hand here, we must date back to the usa's involvement and direct influence on the taliban's gain in power back in the mid 90's. it has been a growing issue of violence and power for a long time now. we must not act surprised that the living conditions of women are not adequate. it must also be noted, however, that at one point, it can be researched in certain areas of afganistan, the burka was a sign of power and wealth for women and it was chosen to be worn. we must truly understand the whole photograph to become powerful enough to influence the pixels that make it. it is then, that change can begin to take place.

PROSTITUTION WAS NEVER THERE BEFORE THE INVATION ,IT IS AN AMERICAN CULTURE WHICH WAS BROUGHT BY THEM

WOMEN ABUSE IS WORLDWIDE WHY TOO MUCH ALARM FOR AFGANISTAN

To all Abdlaha, Suleimans, Mohammends, and all other crazy muslim males. The time when muslim women will be free is coming. Regardless of all your madness, women's freedom will prevail

I suppose It was "AMERICAN CULTURE" that made her parents sell her for $60 at the age of four. Grow up-Muslim men want women to be their slaves-with no other recourse than to stay with them and take whatever they want to dish out.

America has only existed for 231 year, i believe prostitution is much older than that. if you actually think it is western culture that brought prostitution to Afganistan and that it was not there before you are seriously mistaken. I never agreed with the war on terror and i certainly don't believe on imposing Western culture in the East. however i believe that people should be given the choice, this is not some western belief but a human right. women are people not property !

Thanks for the great photos. Makes me want to cry. But then what's going on here in the US makes me want to cry more.

We did the same thing to our women 100 years ago. Give them time to get thru the 19th Century.

What do you expect from a culture based on a religion that kills or mutilates any one that disagrees with them? Of the 365 gods of medieval Arabia, Mohammed chose allah the wicked moon god and the cresecent is his sign.

i think its terrible am an afghan and i will never treat my wife like that when i get married and i am going to go to afghanistan to do something about it am 18 years old

Looking at these pictures you realize that the people who inflict this pain and suffering are totally blind. They cannot see or hear. There is no thinking involved. They are like robots that are trained to hate. To allow this to continue is to be as blind as they are.

The american goverment is strugling to pay for all the unwed mothers, the families are suffering from the divorce rate, crime is thru the roof and prisons populations the highest in the world, very few women read the bible and cherry pick it. Homosexuality grows at alarming rate due to womens rights. Children are impure in mind and body, and suffer very high mental illness. I could go on about america, but it is pointless. To the Afgani I say, your reward will be just in Paradise. The Governments and Corporations are biting at your feet, but some people do pray for you and weep at your misery.

These photos with their text are portals to Afganistan.

As women with voices loud enough for the whole world to hear, perhaps we should lend our ears to the women who dare only to speak in wispers.

I need to find man abusing women

This is the FREEDOM the west wrought upon the Afghan women - Widows, orphans, the injured and the maimed, poverty and Prostitution. The media propagates hate and false stories, and the western masses believe that, and next, the most dreadful weapons are unleashed against innocent people. The Bible says "Remove the big stick from your own eyes, so you can see the spec in other's eyes" There are thousands of women, being raped,and murdered every day. Fathers rape their children and share the videos with others. Brothers rape their sisters, sons their mothers, nephews their aunts, and priests rape anyone they can put their hands on. Then they go around deriding others. If the west did not invade Iraq and Afghanistan, we wouldn't see the miseries that shock all of us. Robbery has always been the motive of colonization and it is not any different now. "Bringing Freedom and Democracy" my foot. It is robbery, plain and simple. When the western masses rise up against this evil, we can hope to see peace in the world.

There is truth to what you say. Alot of Americans don`t like what the president is doing. We hope for a better one soon.

Where have their rights gone, the ones which were ment to protect them from all this ill treat ment and abuse? women have the same rights as men. Human Rights are the universal rights, in which every person is entitled to, either morally, legally or officially. Human Rights abuse is where the Human Rights of one person or many people are being denied, so that person or those people are being denied their fundamental moral entitlements, so basically they are treated like they don’t disserve decent, humane treatment and are undeserving of respect and dignity. why are these women not protected? why do people over look their suffering? why. . . . ?

i'm not really sure I understand whats going on in this picture, but everyone seems ticked off and supports feminism. Can someone help me figure out whats goin on?

This is totally wrong, We all should be equal and fair. Inequality should be broken. We all have a word in this world. Not just men.

salam

A truly heartwrenching photoscape...more disheartening still are the comments. My soul sighs.

Education is the only answer to the plight of women in Afganistan . Internet is a good leveler , US army and NGOs should take initiatives to start Internet Kiosks where ever possible , bombing them with information is the key.

I would not live in a country that has to beat up women to make myself feel good

If it was the American culture that brought prostitution to Afganistan it is a sad thing. It is sad no matter who brought it, how how it started. That, however, has nothing to do with the fact that this is the only means of survival a woman has after she has been widowed. It is not prostitution that is the shame, it is the lack of worth and recognition as a human being simply because they are no longer joined to a man.

(The child is naked to show her scars.) Abuse is not a culture and it is not a religion. My father is Muslim and he would never raise a hand to me. My brothers love and respect me so they respect my choices. "Honor"-murders and suicides are taking place all over the world. And honestly, Western men aren't treating women a whole lot better. Men need to revise their definition of masculinity and stop hiding behind "culture" and "religion".

This is just dumb selling your own daudhter that is just f***** up. i would never do that to my daughter even if i was dieing.

why would you want to listen to your f***** husband. that is just really bumb moron.

The continued systemic abuse of women in mauc of the Arab world is reason enough for us to intervene. Screw oil, ending the life of slavery that these women must endure should impel Western countries to correct the situation. It occurs to me that the self-immolation that occurs is 180 degrees off. These women should kill their abusers while they sleep. Enough of the men turn up dead during the night and you can bet you fanny the rest of them will take notice. And it is my belief that assylum should be offered to any woman who wishes to flee. There is more than enough room in the US, Canada and European nations to absorb them, and then we can leave the men who are left to deal with each other as they see fit.

I meant to say over 90% of the population is UNEDUCATED. I apologize.

Do you REALLY think Bush and his gang are spending millions of dollars a day bombing civilians in Afghanistan to free the women who ill-treated there? You must be JOKING!!

What I'd like to talk about is the vanishing freedoms for Iraqi women, for whom democracy is a receding goal. Their lives are being destroyed by the thugs in their streets that the United States and its dwindling number of allies have no hope of controlling. There's not nearly enough coverage of this outrage. More than a million men dead, detained or disabled, the widows are the sole support of their families in a country whose religious leaders are now less willing to offer them work. We can add the harrowing account of the rising violence--including kidnapping for sex or ransom--that Iraqi women face. S.O.S

There is one wonderful thing about these images and that is we can see for ourselves the atrocities being done. This is not news. This has been going on for a very long time. Us the U.S. abusing our power exploiting humans all in the name of capitalism. Woman and children have always suffered in this abuse. It is our time to come together as one human race, as each other's keepers. WE cannot allow these disgusting things to happen to any of our fellow human beings. Our way of life is threatened we may need to reach out to others in time of need. What then? Who will come to the abusers aid when it's needed? Change is needed. Just like any way of life on the brink of extinction it either adapts or dies.

Money and greed is all over the world. It serves those who kill for it. Killing and torture were a way of life...were. Try to do understand others but beware of evil mongers,they are in ALL cultures. Hope

this is so sad:(

inally an Afghan who realizes and speaks the truth about his/their religion. However, to blame this on misinterpretation of Allah's word is just an excuse. The reason their men are so ignorant and the country so uneducated is because of the restrictions of the Muslim religion. There is no point defending this religion as it is so obviously the cause of all of the down failings of Afghanistan. When you compare these countries with that of England it is clear that the Muslim religion is to blame for the atrocities which take place every hour every day. Some comments left on here have referred to the the atrocities of the Spanish in their invasions, and that to of the English empire. But those events were hundred's of years ago and cannot be used as ammunition to justify the backward mentalities of the Afghan men and their treatment of women. One person once said to me in a heated debate over religion, "not all Muslims are terrorists" and my reply... no but isn't it strange that all recent terrorists atrocities have been carried out by Muslims!! ...just take a moment to think it over, and you will find that that reply holds some ground. I am not presenting this opinion from an uninformed white/western stand point, as I have been lucky enough to be friends with a Muslim since my early childhood (I am now 30) who like Afghan man is ashamed of his people and their values. Although born into a strict Muslim family he is not a practicing Muslim because of the narrow minded belief system of his own people. He considers himself one of the lucky ones, who managed to escaped such a tyrannical mindset and religion. So what also annoys me the most is when we see these leaders of the mosques around the world and in Britain in particular, who come on national TV and in the press, and say that the Koran and the Muslim religion does not promote or preach violence. When it clearly does.Proof of which comes from my friend who as a child was forced to read the Koran back to back, or should i say back to front (I think a little humour had to be included to break up such a dreary subject) over and over and over again....and can clearly point out where the prophet Mohammad demands Muslims attempt to convert none Muslims into Muslims, before wiping them out if they resist. It is time that the leaders of the Muslim faith take it upon them selves to put an end to their way of thinking. P.s. I am not religious in any way so this is not an attempt to up sell any other form of religion, its just merely a point of view of a none believer whose brain and mind set is clear of the restrictions which following a faith bring.

Afghan man I have been thinking about your passionate feelings of RAWA. I must ask if you are a follower of the Northern Alliance? Are you an Islamist? If RAWA was in the pocket of ISI then the likes of Gulbaddin, Khalili, Masoud and Rabbani would be put away and justice done! Unfortunately these war criminals are sitting in the Afghan Parliament. What you said sounds like a charge that they would make. Or perhaps you have never lived under the facists and can't understand why RAWA would have such a huge support in Pakistan. The reason = their bravery and determination to free Afghan from poverty, illiteracy and gender bias.

Afgan man is like other afgani`s who were forgot their afganies in pakistan thy rich now they r drugs dealer n weapons supplier. Plz do not blame us u idiot afgani u peaple r sick.

God bless these children. We are one people, what is done to them is done to all of us and we should seek fair treatment for them and for all those under the heel of oppression. All blessings...

OMG!! this is horrible,this is going to keep on going unless the law does something about it!!

The women of that country is in wait of desperate help!

Let set Ablaze ALALALALALALALALALALA!

I love chicken and potatoes.

ITS COLD OUT!

We can not begin to change this system with fully understand the culture in which these women live in. We can only support them in their fight, but not fight their oppressors for them.

I backpacked in Afghanistan in the 70's. This was before the Soviets invaded and the CIA, in our name, used the mujahedeen and essenitially created the Taliban and Al Qaeda. It was a wonderful country. People were conservative Islamic but tolerant of us western hippies. Women wore the Chadri (burka) but were seen in public by themselves and were allowes to work, go to school etc.
I had a dream the other night that I'd returned to this country.... but it was as if it had been allowed to develop on it's own for the last 30 years instead of being ripped apart by war. Lovely place and people.
To see Afghanistan (or Kabul at least) as it was in 74, read "The Kite Runner"... to see it under the Taliban, read "Swallows of Kabul" or watch the film, "Osama".
We, "the west" royally screwed this wonderful country and what we owe it to the people ... esp the women.... to put it right. I agree with our (Canadian) military and NGO's like the Senlis Council and expats that I've heard here that to allow our aid and development assistance to proceed we MUST go after the extremist fundamentalists, who are a minority.... until the Afghan army and police are strong enough to do it on their own.
We OWE it to them.

What can one say? Brilliant photo journalism!

What is the cause? Primative Islam!

What can one do? Little, other than killing the primatives.

Things will NEVER change when a country is ruled by the writings of a religious book. They are incapable of evolving due to their archaic thoughts and beliefs

So sad

a glimmer of dignity in an otherwise threadbare existence...

I saw the same type of pictures of abused women from Viet Nam, Cambodia, Thailand, South America and India and non of these countries have Taliban or Muslim governments and in the USA ever 25 seconds a woman is attacked so find other way to blame before you blame Islam and Muslims and GOD. It you humans who made a mess of things and the only reason is because you sold your humanity to the devil.

These people are sick--but it's not our business. Leave these sick people and their country to their own devices. They're not worth the blood of even one of our soldiers.

its weird!

Primitive Islam? Please. First off, Not all of the Middle East is like Afghanistan is now. Secondly, there are a million and a half factors that play a role in dictating the conditions in a certain region. To sit there and say religion is the reason for these things, while ignoring more glaring issues such as poverty, and tyrannical government and despots, is ridiculous. The only thing that is primitive here is your way of thinking, s. winn.

In 1971 our Bangldesh suffered same .
Now fganistan,iraq.
All situation are for some world crinal leaders.We want peace.

the hidden half

afghanistan was at peace but frenzy of west to baptize the muslim afghanistan like other islamic nations being a part of crusade- devastated this land.first russian conflict and american supporting jihadis and now america supporting northern alliance.Liek a stubburn idiot west never ca,culates what damge they have done to the earth.the country was not so bad before.America went and left the ugly scars just like it left in korea,viet nam an,iraq,philipines.the dogish soldiers left women raped and with illegitimate children and the girls abducted by christian missionaries to be converted to christianity.it is a strange phenoenon that Pope is shamefully silent on these crimes.West has no right to search and attack Muslim nations-west is a proven destroyers of islamic world so all of its researches make all its claims of humanity and human rights useless.Western human rights only revolve around nakedness of woman like animals doing shameful and nude acts in open.west should leave the muslim as such and leave the areas.They are only developed animals-prisoners of their lust and self desires

Norma D. you are so naive and stupid. Why don't you step out into the real world - go over there and help them yourself instead of sitting there being critical. I guess you didn't see the happy faces of the Iraqi's when they pulled down Saddam's statue. Why don't you ask some of the gang raped women in Iraq if they're happier Saddam and his sons are gone?

wow, that is frightening. And I wonder how many men lit themselves up? imagine being so cornered in as to set youreslf on fire... intense.

Not only are the pictures telling us we have abandoned Afghanistan but the comments of all of these people, mostly,
reflect that. We went there (USA) and we made promises and we left as if going after Osama Bin Laden was just practice for the personal grudge that G.W.Bush had for Saddam Hussein. I do like what some of you said, even those who told us to go away and leave you alone. No kidding. I can't blame you. And Jocko, back in Nov.19, 2007, said Mohammed had chosen one of 365 ancient Arabian gods,
allah, the wicked moon god! History I had not heard. "Nonbeliever" has looked and been shamed. Peter Lake, yes, people should see the film "Osama" about a little girl trying to feed herself and her mother but gets swept away by the Taliban who discover she is a girl disguised as a boy. She is kidnapped by 'the law' and given away to a greedy "HOLY" man. Mary Ellen Mclaughlin is trying to help. There are two groups I saw mentioned; RAWA and afghanwomenmission.org. We should look at both. What happens in Afghanistan happens in all poor, corrupt and under
educated societies. Which the USA has a portion of and other counties that have new or old power and no balance. Women need education and choices that fundamentalism denies them in poor countries. In America they are rich and
still not free. Men need education and
choices that fundamentalism denies them in poor countries. Here, they are rich,
and powerful. Like the Wahabis in Saudi Arabia. Men are still primitive and women are still the mystery they fear like fools. God is what men created who were unable to respect creation. If we cannot think for our selves and respect one another we will keep failing. Our so
called intelligence remains an aberration in nature that may destroy the entire planet. It is not a simple thing why we torture, rape, kill and make wars. Greed does not meet needs. I
am so blessed to be an individual with an education and choices. Even poor, I am fortunate and will work on creating a
world without hate, all my life. We, who
are the masses must recognize each other and share what we can and heal where we can. We may be cursed to failure, I hope not because we share this world with so many other creatures we are also killing off. This all may be the tipping of the scales. There are too many of us and chaos reigns. Do your best to survive and don't be surprised that we are all expendable to the most corrupt of all.MKW

I just re-read my post and feel like I should clarify it so I don't come across as being ignorant of the cultural situation on the ground. Yes, Iraqi culture is Arab-influenced - this is a no-brainer, as many of the tribes are Arab tribes; hence, Arabic culture and less-than tolerant family values are prevalent in Iraq. Calling Afghanistan Arab-influenced may be a pretty ignorant turn of phrase on my part (and I submit a deep apology to any of my Afghani brothers I may have offended with that statement), but here's my reasoning for saying that the Afghani culture has been influenced by the intolerances of Arab culture. And here it is: after the USSR withdrawl from Afghanistan and the time for rebuilding came along, well, it's no secret that the U.S. and every other Western country dropped the ball. (On behalf of Generations X and Y, I wanna send a big "[deleted] you very much" to the Baby Boomers for that little slip-up.) Anyway, Where us Westerners messed up, some extremely conservative religious organizations from Saudi Arabia were able to provide help and hope to the orphaned and hopeless in the Afghani refugee camps. With these missionaries came their extremist values of the dehumanization of women. QED. In all fairness to more progressive areas of Afghanistan, some women do vote and some hold public office, but they are still required to wear burkhas. Yes, burkhas definitely keep men from lusting over the person beneath, but isn't it better to have enough discipline not to lust at all? I would think that turning a woman into a faceless burkha just because you can't control yourself is as bad as any other form of dehumanization (i.e., enslavement and artless pornography).

Peace in the middle east will only exist when women are given their rightful place in society and government alongside men. Remove the free expression of women in a society and there lacks peace that nurturing brings.

Tssk tssk goes the western pundits, comfortably horrified behind their computers and endless supply of electricity. Please Google Afghanistan history and tell us oh 'enlightened ones' how "oppression" got its guns.

Careful...this is how the people who perpetrated the abuses of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo felt...like they were justified in their actions due to the supposed actions of the prisoners. I too am horrified by these pictures and others I have seen as well as stories I've read, programs I've watched. It makes the heart weep and the soul quail at the heartless ferocity in some people, but being abusive in return will only reinforce the idea that abuse is OK.

it is a shame that their culture is to physically abuse women, prevent them from going to school and treating them as possessions, but at least under Hilliary, w can look forward to the day they can freely get abortions.

The photographs and commentary show the horrifying plight of Afghan women. Ridding this culture of its profound misogyny, should the task ever be undertaken, would require a generation. Afghan males who perpetrate these acts require attitudes so deeply internalized that few of them could ever rise above them. This photo essay bears witness to the inhuman tragedies that follow when we believe too many contradictory concepts. Such is the danger of fundamentalism and, by extension, all non-humanistic religions.

For Lana Slezic, the photojournalist who did this amazing work that has been seen
here and commented upon by so many; Thank you for doing something so strong and real that it can cause all these people to react to it. These comments are like a part of your photo essay as they give back to the viewer the deep responses of such a variety of people.

HASSAN: Spare us your ignorant knowledge of history...Prostitution has existed in Afghanistan far longer than the recent introduction of Western troops! Where have you learned your rudimentry understanding of world history--at a Madrasa? Just as grotesque as Afghani misogyny, is the "custom" of wealthier, older Afghani men taking young (pre-pubescent) boys as forced concubines. It is customary for the wealthy, male Afghani elite to solicit impoverished, underclass parents for purchase of their nubile sons! Some of Afghanistan's most revered poetry are odes to these enforced, pedophilic, homosexual laisons, where boy-rape is the norm. I'll bet you no one at Mother Jones is willing to research this "cultural" practice in Afghanistan! In fact, this particular perversion was addressed by the Taliban's first edict, after taking power in Afghanistan: the abolishment of boy-rape and concubinage. If OBL did anything right, it was his desire to end boy-rape--of course he didn't give a rat's patootie about girl rape; after all how could he when the prophet "married" Aisha at 6 years old! I am not at all surprised by the horrors of Afghani misogyny. WAKE-UP FOLKS...THIS IS THE NATURAL PROGRESSION OF SHARIA LAW. IT IS WHAT IT IS. SHARIA LAW IS STATE SPONSERED GENDER APARTHEID. SHARIA LAW IS COMPLETE DISENFRANCHISEMENT OF THE FEMALE POPULATION (AS WELL AS CHILDREN). THIS IS THE DEFINITION OF ISLAM, IN ALL ITS UNREFORMED, ORIGINAL UGLINESS. NO MATTER HOW MUCH C.A.I.R. ATTEMPTS TO REDEFINE ISLAM, THIS PHOTO ESSAY IS THE EPITOME OF ISLAM! We're happy to rescue the women and girls at the FLDS compound in Texas (because...gasp...they're POLYGAMIST MORMONS), but we give the male perverts in Afghanistan a pass (because...gosh...they're POLYGAMIST MUSLIMS)! Wise-up Hassan. Get some learning quick, BABY! Islam's relentless will to tyrannize women, children, and other religions is anethema to humanity. Evolve or perish!

It shows again wherever the US gouvernment intervenes things get worse. As I remember only in Germany after world war II their way of acting did good and helped democracy there.

thou i feel for the women and children that suffer I believe that cultures that have thrived for not hundreds but thousands of years cannot be viewed briefly then judged by people who based their whole society off of free trade aka slavery to say what they should or should not be doing. Iraqis knew their heratige and culture that might I remind people was mesopotamia (spell check)and education was a right for every person, they had women doctors and scientists and scolars mothers and wives and teachers their stories arent being heard and we wont hear them because we are to believe we are their saviors thats whats sad

Pictures as these are just incredible to be aware of. Yes,I've seen many like these many times before but, I can't be used to it as a natural feeling. I don't believe I can turn around this world to find equality of status as a normal and healthy standard, but - if I can be one more to react against this slavery and inhumanity and, maybe, help one more to react against it, it's one more step in the right direction.

If you have time, copy and paste this web address (YouTube) into your browser, then maybe I can be a little help:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJjvXCUz9Sc

thank you for your efforts. My daughter just finished 3 days of preparing a paper on "women in afghanistan", only to find out that her teacher said on the first draft, where is the controversy? I panicked, and said that if I had known that she needed contraversy, she should have chosen a different topic. I didn't see the contraversy until I looked at your opinions. I just found it! The understanding "it is culture", must be
penetrated by the truth, and clearly understood. It is not culture, not acceptable, and clearly abuse, in any language!!

We need to recall that women's rights are human rights. Here in Canada and in other nations- brothers, fathers, sons and friends helped women to gain rights. On a more personal note- as a middle aged teacher in a Catholic school, I was aghast when a grade 10 Muslim boy scolded me for being immodest for wearing pants. This is modelled behaviour. It is hard to be accepting of "culture" - when it is imposed and not composed for the betterment of society.

I rspect afghany womens who is keep hear relgian in her hart
Wearing this clothes ( HEGAB ) is the order form her GOD ALLAH
THANKS afghani womens

meaningless pic

God bless you, be careful.

Are you joking? Statistically Canada (and America) has one of the highest rates of rape in the world-- but what this really means is that it IS reported and dealt with as a crime rather than as some sort of mark on a woman's character. I know what it is like to be a woman and I do not need it to be defined for me ...I look to great women like Mother Jones who bring love, charity and compassion to this world. My faith is in my heart- not in my clothes- or lack thereof...

In the 'Americas',North, Central and South, women do not have to have three or four male witnesses to her rape to prove she was unwilling as in some islamic/Arabic country/countries!

The appalling treatment of women in Afganistan, as in most Muslim countries and frankly just about everywhere in the world except the West where there has been a lot of improvement, is only one of the horrors of this primitive country where making war against anybody and taking deadly offense at just about anything is a national pastime. There is zero religious freedom & the death penalty applies to anyone who converts to another faith or just wants to reject Islam. There is no freedom of speech because that can get you killed too if you offend the religion of anything else that is considered against "honor". Gay men are murdered by the state (they can't accept that there are lesbians - how could a woman not be attracted to these great macho men?). This country has never been civilized and this is what we are spending billions on each month? I agree the Taliban were worse, but relatively speaking it is still one of the most oppressive, primitive and intolerant countries in the world. Democracy? What a laugh! We've been snookered again. The most civilized and free (women especially) this country has ever been was under the rule of Moscow. Then girls had education, women worked in professions of their choice, the mullahs' reign of terror was stifled and the religious police were not allowed to abuse people in the streets like before and after.

The purpose of the invasion of Afghanistan was to bring democracy to a people who have been prisoners in their own country. It also aimed to liberate and give freedom to women who have been held back by years of male domination and repression. The invasion, however, done little to elevate the repression of women and many are still abused as before if not more now than before. If the US and UK’s aim was to bring about democracy and freedom for the masses (especially women), what the coalition forces needed to do is remove the in-grained traditions which have existed for many years through implementing development opportunities and co-ops for grass root organisations.

salaam for all afgani ma

yeah buddy your a nutcase

i [deleted] you

i agree that American people have no right to speak about rights after all the things they have done to all those countries you mentioned. But women have rights!!! don't treat them like animals! you were not exist if THE women didn't give birth of you!American don't want to help you, that's for sure. if someone wants to help, don't kill in order to stop killing! women rights do not mean that they will become prostitutes! prostitution exists in every country with any religion! and the main reason of its existence is that mens are looking only for their satisfaction and how to kill more people. so the problem will not be solved if women wear burka. the only thing that will make this actions to stop is to learn mens that they have to act according to the rights of the others. American soldiers are pions of the system that growned them with those(wrong) pelieves. But my friend, those who kill women are also pions of a religion. we have borned to be human not animals!! animals kill to sirvive! but we are not animals! we have rigths, our brothers have rights,our sisters have rights,wifes do have rights too! only by respecting those rights we will be able to sirvive!!!

they dont have a god, if they had a god why would he beat and kill them? What gives you or some dick head that says he talks for god to do this to anyone

OMG!
How can u say that by seeing those pictures? dont u have a heart?

You certainly revealed yourself as being ignorant.

For 10 years Afghanistan was under Russian occupation. At the end of those 10 years five generations of women graduated from the university in Kabul. Doctors, teachers, etc.
I met some in 2006 when I was there.
They are now hiding in their homes. Let's see if the American led aliance can reopen the university and guarantee the safety of the female student population. I am not praising the Russians for their record in Afghanistan. But maybe we should have less respect for the "taditional ways" of the Afghans, and impose some universal ethics on them. Such as complete equality between people of either sex, even if this has to be done against their traditions.
Here are a few ideas:
-Impose a system of photo identification for the entire population over the age of 14.
-Because of the photo ID system the burk